Forging machine



Feb. 1, 1938. w w, cRlLEY 2,106,830

FORGING MACHINE Filed Feb. 6, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR, W/ll/AM W cR/LE) jfig 1 ATTORNEY.

Feb 93.8 w. w. CRlLEY 2,106,330

FORGING MACHINE Filed Feb. 6, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 jfig. 2

INVENTOR, Mum/v WC'R/LEY,

5/ ATTORNEY. 5

Patented Feb. 1, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT m 3 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in forging machines, and more specifically is direct ed to a device for maintaining rigidity of the blank gripper die carrying parts of the frame of such machines, and designed to facilitate the removal of large forgings, and further to permit access to the dies and blank gripping members.

One object of the present invention is the provision of a transverse tie clamp of special design for forging machines or the like which shall not only effectively prevent springing of the frame and consequent spreading of the blank gripping members when the machine is in operation, but contributes to an improved design of the body of the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a transverse tie clamp for forging machines which is especially designed to permit access to the dies and blank gripping members and also to facilitate the removal of bulky forgings from the machine.

In large forging machines of the type disclosed, it is essential to provide a machine having die carrying frame jaws which will not spread or distort under the great forces set upwhile the machine is in operation.

Applicant is aware that previous attempts have been made in the design of forging machines to make the dies and other parts thereof more accessible than machines heretofore constructed. Machines have been built without the usual transverse tie members across the side portions of the frame. Such machines, however, are more expensive to manufacture because of the large amount of material necessary. There are inherent difliculties in machining and handling the castings. Moreover, a machine of the above construction must necessarily be so much greater in width than applicant's machine, of a size designed to handle the same work, that the frame mustbe made in two sections in order to comply withithe present railroad shipping clearance requirements. These two sections must be tied together on assembly by several large longitudinal tie members, which is an expensive and unsatisfactory method of connection.

Another object of the invention is to provide a forging machine with a transverse tie clamp which is located as near aspossible'to the center of transverse pressure and still not interfere with the removal of forgings or the accessibility of dies or the blank grip-ping members.

Heretofore, the transverse tie members have either passed beneath or above theusual longitudinal tie bar. Those familiar with theart of forging machine construction realize that :a dennite clearance must be maintained between the loweredge of the transverse member. and the blank gripping die elements of a machine in order to provide accessibility of these elements and also to facilitate removal of the forgings,

A still further object of the invention is to provide a transverse tie clam-p which, compared to others, is inexpensive to manufacture and easily applied. 7

Other objects'may be-apparent from the following specification, which refers to the accompanying drawings.

In thedrawingsz Fig. 1 is a plan view of a forging machine showing the present invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is afront elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1. v

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the transverse tie clamp.

Fig. 4 is a. fragmentary front elevation of a forging machineshowing one modification of the tie clamp construction applied thereto.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the device shown invFlg. 4.

Referring to the drawings, a forging with a box-like frame I is shown having side portions 2 and 3 extending longitudinally and being spaced to form awork receiving opening indicated at 4 at the front of the machine.

The machine-is provided with a pair of blank gripping die members as at 5 and .6, carried in the frame near the front end, one of which may be stationary and the other capable of constrained movement transyerselyiof the machine in a guideway as at 1.

Each, of therblank gripping membersS .and B may haveone-or more horizontal grooves shown at *8 and H. respectively, formed in the engaging surfaces thereof, which are adapted to register with each otherand to produce openings as at I2 for encircling and tightly gripping a portion of blank stock prior tosand during the forging operation. The innerendof the openings I2 may terminate inicav'ities as at I3 into which the portion of the-stock isiforced to flow under the'pressure ,exertedby theiformingdie.

Each blank musty-be firmly held against subsequent movement during the forging operation, in frictional engagement between the blank .gripping members zby an extremely heavy'transverse 9 force-applied to themovable member 6. Frequentlythe m'agnitudeof this force reaches several hundred tons-which is suflicient tospring or distort an :open 'type'irame'so as :to cause the gripping members to ioos'en their hold on the blank and allow it to slip when the force of the forging die is applied thereto.

Since much of the success of such a forging machine relies on its ability to positively hold these blanks in a definite position, it follows that a large amount of this responsibility depends upon the proper design and construction of a transverse frame reinforcing member or tie clamp, which will hereinafter be described in detail.

A die member as at having a'die formation I5 may be removably secured to a cross head I6 and is adapted to register with a cavity as at gitudinally of the machine in a suitable ,recess I! which is defined by guides 18 "and 2|"; The

cross head is caused to reciprocate betweenthe guides by a connecting rod 22 and a crank shaft 23 which may be driven by a motor and belt, not shown,'a pulley 21, shaft 28, pinion 3|, and 'gear Each of the side'portions 2 and 3 may be provided with heavy lugs as at 35 and 36, respectively, which are located forwardly or to the rear of the-blankgripping members 5 and 6 as indicated in Fig. '1'. The upper faces ofthe lugs 35 and 36 have formed thereon suitable vertical parallel shoulders as at-3'| and 38, respectively.

' In Fig. 3 a'transvers'e tie clamp 4| is shown having the lower surfaces adjacentfthe ends provided with complementary shoulders 42 and 43 which are suitably spaced'and adapted to snugly engage theshoulders 31 and 38, respectively.

The end portions of thetie clamp including the shoulders 42 and 43 may be somewhat wider than the intermediate portion 44 in order to provide as large a bearing surface on these shoulders tosustain the great pressure developed without peening down and also'to assure transverse alignment thereof with respect to the framea 4 The usual transverse tie bars are he'avy-cylindrical members threaded on both-ends and provided with large nuts. These bars project through suitable openings in lugs'located adjacent the sides of the-frame. The transverse load is carried entirely by thethr'eads on the bars.

In applicantstie clamp,-however,-it will be seen that a muchless'expensive construction is employed and a fargreater efficiency obtained in regard to strength and maintenance; The transverse load 'is carried entirely by the registering shoulders on the lugs and the tie clamp which is held in. place on the lugs by cap screws 5| which may be easily and quickly removed and replaced by the use of a wrench of a sizenot difficult to handle. i 1

The tie clamp. 4| is shown somewhatenlarged near the center in the form of a hub as at 45 to provide anopening 46 for embracing a longitudinal tie bar 4T'which acts to reinforce the frame acrossthe guideway'l and the opening 4.

From' an examination of Fig. 2, -it will also be seen that through thezuse of the'clamp 4| which embraces the member 41, the frame height may be, considerably less than that of a machine employing the usual heavy cylindrical transverse memberwhich lies entirely above the longitudinal member 41, and alsoithe'franie strength is greatly improved. Furthermore, it is possible to materially reduce the total weight-and-cost of a machine by the use of. such a clamp.-

Figs. 4 and 5. illustrate a modification of the tie clamp shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, in which the end is pivoted by a hinge pin 55 projecting through a pair of spaced lugs 56 on one side of the machine frame, and also through a suitable opening provided in one end of the clamp 51 which lies in the space between lugs 56. Inwardly tapering shoulders 58 formed on lugs 6| are adapted to register or abut with corresponding shoulders $2 located adjacent either end of the clamp 57.

The tapering shoulders 55 and 62 facilitate swinging the clamp member 5? open and closed with respect to the frame, and also assure a tight-fitting metallic contact between the abutting surfaces.

The end of the tie clamp opposite the hinge .may be secured to the lug 55 or the machine frameas by screws 83. It will be noted that in this modification also the shoulders 58 and 52 carry the entire transverse tie clamp load in the same manner as those in the heretofore described form.

The transverse tie clamp 5'! must necessarily lie the longitudinal tie bar 41 to allow the transverse clamp to be swung open as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4, and to permit further accessibility to the working parts of the machine. The size and of the clamp on a machine of the present type are such as to require the assistance of a crane or other hoisting device to remove-and replace them.

' In this modification also the head room of the frame is and the strength greater than a machine having the usual type and size of transverse bar lying above the longitudinal bar because the member 51 is slightly arched, as shown in Fig. l, to clear the member 4i and to bring the abutting shoulders nearer the center of transverse pressure.

It will also be seen that applicants clamp does not hinder the removal of large forgings from the 1 machine, which is an awkward and time-consuming operation in machines where the transverse rod lies beneath the longitudinal member and thus only a short distance above the work receiving opening.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the location of applicants transverse tie clamps permits adjustment and replacement of the blank gripping members to be made more quickly and conveniently than such changes on a machine employing the usual type of transverse clamp. Furthermore, the present tie clamp is more effective in maintaining rigidity of the frame than is a conventional reinforcing member because of the relatively close proximity of applicants device to the center of transverse pressure.

In a machine employing the usual transverse tie bar which is located above the longitudinal bar, the forces may be sufficient to cause the frame to spring due to the inherently great distance of such a bar from the center of pressure in the machine frame. I It will also be seen that applicants tie clamp does not hinder the removal of large forgings from the machine, as would be the case should the transverse tie rod be placed beneath the longitudinal tie rod.

The present showings are not intended to specifically limit the construction thereto, since other forms may occur to those skilled in the Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a horizontal forging machine having a horizontal frame, one portion thereof being substantially U-shaped in upright cross section, transversely spaced lugs at the free ends of the U-shaped portion respectively and extending upwardly of the frame and terminating longitudinally of the frame short of the ends of the frame, clamping dies relatively movable laterally of the frame within the U-shaped portion and buttressed laterally thereby, a ram and cooperating die relatively movable longitudinally of the frame, whereby said U-shaped portion is stressed during operation of the ram and dies and tends to spread transversely of the frame, a longitudinal tie bar reinforcing the frame longitudinally, a transverse tie member having inwardly facing shoulders near the ends thereof, said lugs having outwardly facing shoulders in abutting relation to the inwardly facing shoulders, said transverse tie member having a hole extending longitudinally of the frame for accommodating the longitudinal tie bar, said longitudinal tie bar being offset laterally of the frame from the work engaging plane of the gripping dies, said transverse tie member being movable along the longitudinal tie bar to a position wherein the shoulders on the transverse tie member are free from the shoulders on the transversely spaced lugs, and the end portions of the transverse tie member are spaced longitudinally of the frame beyond the upper surface of the lugs so that the transverse tie member may be tilted relative to the frame to permit greater ease of access to the dies while the longitudinal tie bar is in place.

2. In a horizontal forging machine having a horizontal frame, one portion thereof being substantially U-shaped in upright cross section, transversely spaced lugs at the free ends of the U-shaped portion respectively and extending upwardly of the frame and terminating longitudinally of the frame short of the ends of the frame, clamping dies relatively movable laterally of the frame within the U-shaped portion and buttressed laterally thereby, a ram and cooperating die relatively movable longitudinally of the frame, whereby said U-shaped portion is stressed during operation and tends to spread transversely of the frame, a longitudinal tie bar reinforcing the frame longitudinally, said longitudinal tie bar being offset laterally of the frame from the work engaging plane of the clamping dies, a transverse tie member having inwardly facing shoulders near the ends thereof, said lugs having outwardly facing shoulders in abutting relation to the inwardly facing shoulders, said longitudinal tie bar having a portion overlying a portion of the transverse tie member, said transverse tie member being movable along the longitudinal tie bar to a position wherein the shoulders on the transverse tie member are free from the shoulders on the transversely spaced lugs and the end portions of the transverse tie member are offset from the upper surfaces of the lugs longitudinally of the frame so that the transverse tie member can be removed from its clamping position relative to the frame to permit greater ease of access to the dies while the longitudinal tie member remains in place by sliding the transverse tie member along the longitudinal member to a position beyond the lugs and then tilting the transverse member.

3. In a horizontal forging machine having a horizontal frame, one portion thereof being substantially U-shaped in upright cross section, transversely spaced lugs at the free ends of the U-shaped portion respectively and extending upwardly of the frame and terminating longitudinally of the frame short of the ends of the frame, clamping dies relatively movable laterally of the frame within the U-shaped portion and buttressed laterally thereby, a ram and cooperating die relatively movable longitudinally of the frame, whereby said U-shaped portion is stressed during operation and tends to spread transversely of the frame, a longitudinal tie bar reinforcing the frame longitudinally, said longitudinal tie bar being offset laterally of the frame from the work engaging plane of the gripping dies, a transverse tie member having inwardly facing shoulders near the ends thereof, said lugs having outwardly facing shoulders in abutting relation to the inwardly facing shoulders, said longitudinal tie bar having a portion overlying a portion of the transverse tie member, said transverse tie member normally being in a position forwardly of the gripping dies and being movable along the longitudinal tie bar to a position wherein the shoulders on the transverse tie member are free from the shoulders on the transversely spaced lugs and the end portions of the transverse tie member are offset from the upper surfaces of the lugs so that the transverse tie member can be removed from its clamping position relative to the frame to permit greater ease of access to the dies while the longitudinal tie bar remains in place by sliding the transverse tie member along the longitudinal member to a position beyond the lugs and then tilting the transverse member.

WILLIAM W. CRILEY. 

